Animals Gone Viral: Pumpkin the Raccoon

As if you needed another reason beyond the stunning views and island time lifestyle to want to move to the Bahamas, here’s another one: It’s legal to own raccoons. This came in handy for Rosie Kemp of Nassau who witnessed a month-old cub falling out of a tree in her backyard late last year. The little one broke her leg and was abandoned by her mother, so Kemp decided her two rescue dogs wouldn’t mind another sibling. They dubbed the feisty raccoon Pumpkin, and she adjusted quite quickly to family life, so much so that they decided to document her adventures on social media. While Kemp understands and promotes the fact that wild animals belong in the wild, she also knows that she was Pumpkin’s best chance for survival. They saved her life and gave her one worth living: “Pumpkin loves air conditioning, and feasting on treats like sunny-side up eggs and watermelon. She’s even learned to use the toilet to go to the bathroom!” You can follow Pumpkin and her daily activities on Facebook and Instagram @pumpkintheraccoon or Twitter @thisispumpkin.

Editor’s Note: “Raccoons are illegal or restricted in much of the U.S. Raccoons in the U.S. are major rabies carriers, and if they bite someone will almost always be put down for rabies testing (which makes human contact dangerous for them). If you find an injured or baby raccoon in the U.S., please contact your local wildlife rescue for help.”—TheDodo.com